Ashes hero Steve Smith says he won’t have any trouble slotting back into the shortest form of the game for a one-off Big Bash appearance this weekend.

Unfortunately for Smith and his Sydney Sixers, the Perth centurion says their rival on Saturday night, Sydney Thunder star David Warner, will also make the transition with ease.

Warner has been Australia’s batting star in the three Ashes victories this summer, piling up two centuries in his series-high 457 runs to average 91.4.

“He’s certainly in the form of his life – I’m not really looking forward to playing him on Saturday night,” Smith, the Sixers captain, joked on Thursday.

“…Hopefully we can nick him off early and make it a miserable day for him.”

Smith and Warner, along with the Australia’s Twenty20 captain George Bailey (Hobart Hurricanes), were released from Test duties to take part in week one of the Big Bash.

They’ll play just the opening fixture before rejoining their Test teammates on Sunday ahead of next week’s Boxing Day Test.

It’s a whirlwind journey between cricket’s two most diametrically opposed formats – but Smith says the adjustment shouldn’t be too difficult.

“We do it so much these days that you just have to adapt quickly,” he said.

“I’ve been playing pretty aggressively anyway.”

Veteran paceman Brett Lee was almost at a loss at formulating a gameplan to curb Warner’s influence – offering that the best approach is to varying your pace and attempt to stay one step ahead of the batsman.

“I don’t think David cares what pace the ball comes on whether it’s spin, medium or quick,” he said.

“I think he enjoys the whole lot.

“…He’s a class act – a match winner who can change a game in the space of a few overs.”

Meanwhile, the Sixers have drafted in left-arm quick Josh Lalor in a like-for-like replacement for Test and one-day star Mitchell Starc, who is continuing his rehabilitation from a back injury.